


The Falls

by Trinkisme



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24633901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trinkisme/pseuds/Trinkisme
Summary: Could a rumored magical waterfall bring healing to Draco? That's what he wanted to find out. But little did he know his discovery would bring about another miracle. One-shot. Dramione.
Relationships: dramione
Comments: 16
Kudos: 92





	The Falls

Draco frowned. _There it goes again._ That was twice he'd heard the same noise. He paused, wondering if he should carry on or go back to the school grounds. He didn't want to stop, now that he'd come so far. He'd been at it over two hours already. His back was wet with sweat, his legs aching with exertion, but with a practiced push he resumed his climb. Of course, he could have apparated once he'd passed the gates of Hogwarts, but he'd not wanted to take the easy way. That was too much the way he'd done things before, and look where that had gotten him. Besides, if what he heard was correct, the destination would be worth the effort.

Sighing, he determinedly moved toward his goal. Hike and climb, pause to get a breath. Repeat. He guessed he had less than a kilometer left before he reached the waterfall. He needed to hurry if he wanted to catch it at the right moment. He'd heard for years that rays from an unclouded day's sunset caused the magic of the water to manifest as dancing angels of fire as it fell from the edge of the cliff. Today was such a day; and if he was able to get there in time…...then maybe the other part of the legend would come to pass. To see if the water flowing from Sliabh Dé was imbued with power. If it was indeed blessed. Before, he'd been too busy with his own self-importance to bother with stories he'd considered to be fairy tales. Now, he knew he was running out of time. In less than a month he would be graduating and leaving Scotland. Before that happened, he wanted to test the claim to see if healing pools really existed. If its waters could cleanse the mind _and_ soul. Heaven knew, if so, he would be willing to drown in it. He was soul sick and tired; he was weary of the heavy burden his wrongdoings had become. He'd finally learned what others had known about him for some time. He, Draco Malfoy, pureblood heir, was without honor. A disgraced wizard. A…..

 _What was it that Granger had called me? Oh yes….a_ _foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach._ Well, as usual, she'd been right.

He snorted at the irony of it. The thing he'd always bragged about was the very thing he'd never had. Had never even understood.

Purity.

But he wanted it now. Finally, for all the right reasons.

He'd not gone ten paces before he heard a twig snap. Then he heard a faint sigh. A distinctly feminine one. Speak of the devil…...

_Honestly…..could she be any louder?_

Gryffindors had all the stealth of clumsy, young dragons. And she was the worst of them all.

He plowed on, determined to ignore her, but after enduring several other snaps and stomps and one unmistakable gasp followed by a whispered, _Ouch!_ , he finally turned around and with a martyred sigh said, " _What_ do you want, Granger? Surely the Brightest Witch of our age has better things to do than tramp behind a failed death eater."

"Don't call yourself that." A moment later, "How did you know I was following you?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I do have ears, you know."

"Hey! I was being quiet!"

"Hardly. But I suppose you wouldn't know it, coming from the muggle world."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Careful, now. I don't think you want to continue in that vein."

Draco started. He'd not meant his words as the put down Hermione interpreted them to be. Merlin, could he do nothing right? "I meant no offense. I've just noticed that the world you come from is much louder and….well, more frenetic than ours. I don't think muggles can comprehend true quiet, because they so rarely experience it. That's all I'm saying."

Hermione's features softened, accepting his explanation. Then a puzzled frown surfaced. "How would you know about the muggle world? I didn't think you had ever been in it."

Draco grimaced as if in pain and quickly looked away. His eyes focused on the rocks around their feet as if they held all the secrets of the universe. Coughing, he mumbled something that sounded like, "I was in it a few times last year."

That surprised Hermione. Why in the world would Draco….

_Oh._

Hermione sucked in a breath. Of course. _The war._ He must have been forced to be a part of the attacks that had been carried out in London. Once there, he would have had to notice the huge differences in infrastructure, population, technology, etc. She looked sadly at his pale features and wondered if the modern world had frightened him, but she wasn't going to ask. In her opinion, the less they spoke about the year before, the better. Instead, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"Oh, do I have to report to you now? Just because you're a decorated war hero doesn't mean you have the right to monitor my movements." Draco gave her a sharp stare. "Or did the Minister assign you that task?"

"What? Good grief, I was just asking. No need to get all paranoid on me."

Sighing, he replied, "Look…..why don't you head back to your little band of heroes, and do whatever good guys do, and leave me alone."

Hermione pursed her lips. "No, I don't think I will. You don't need to be by yourself. You've been alone too much already this year."

Draco's brows rose at her innocent comment, surprised at what it revealed. She'd been watching him? However, all he said was, "Well, if you're not spying, then what do you want from me? What are you expecting to gain from this? A confession? I did that already at my trial. Remorse? I've tried to show that all bloody school year. What else?" Draco had turned very red in the face, which was an odd combination with his pale eyes and hair.

In barely above a whisper, Hermione said, "I just want…" she paused, hesitant.

Draco eyed her warily. "You want what?"

"For us to be…..well, you know…...friendly. I….I thought you could use one. A friend, I mean. And I'm tired of us being enemies. Aren't you?"

Draco wasn't buying it. His protective walls rose up. "Oh…..I see. Now I'm some sort of _rehab_ project," he sneered. "A chance for Dr. Do-Gooder to practice her counseling techniques. Aren't I the lucky chap."

Hermione stomped her foot, fed up with his obstinance. "You are the most infuriating man on the planet, did you know that? I wanted to bury the hatchet. To start anew. Yes, more to help you than me, but to help me, too. I don't want to hang on to feelings of...of..."

Draco cocked his head. "Go on. Say it."

She shook her head. "No. I refuse to give any more time to darkness. I want to go a different path."

"And that is...?"

Hermione looked him square in the eye. "I want to be compassionate. To forgive. We have to rebuild the wizarding world, right? If we want to do that, we have to start anew. If we don't, I'm afraid it will just start all over again...and I'm so _tired_ of war."

Draco stilled. He'd been avoided by most that year, except for those who had gone out of their way to harass and hex the former death eater. He knew he deserved it; it was human nature to want an eye for an eye. But he also knew the witch in front of him was not like others. He watched her tilt her chin in defiance of his perusal. Stubborn and obstinate. _That's Granger in a nutshell._ And infinitely kindhearted. That was her, too.

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"Of course, I mean it. Why do you think I've been tromping behind you for hours, getting scratched and winded and sweaty and …"

Draco smirked. "Not a lover of the great outdoors then, eh?'

Hermione couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from curving upward. "Sure, if I'm relaxing in a flower garden, drinking Earl Grey….or on a tropical beach, sipping something cold and fruity. But out in the wild? No thanks, had enough of that last year."

For a space of a few beats, there was silence between them. Draco decided to take a chance. "I….I wanted to see the falls before I left Hogwarts. That's where I was going."

"You've never been?"

He shook his head. "Never had the desire to before. But now….."

Hermione didn't let him finish. Taking his hand and resolutely ignoring the way he jerked in surprise at her touch, she said, "Let's go then. And by the way, you're in luck. I just happen to know a shortcut."

That sounded fine to Draco. He'd had enough of climbing.

Sure enough, she left the path and took him in a horizontal direction through a copse of aspens until they reached an outcropping. There, to the right of them, high above, was the falls. Far below, a pool lay, the mist around it making the area dreamlike and otherworldly. The voice of the waterfall was not what Draco had expected. He'd been anticipating something loud. A turbulent roar that would warn away all those unworthy of its gifts. Instead, his ears heard something that sounded more like song. The gushing of the water was not the angry yell of winter's thaw but calmer; softer. Draco thought it was more like the hum of a mother lulling her child to sleep.

"It's beautiful," he murmured. "But how will we get to it? I don't see a way across."

Hermione grinned. "We don't go across; we go down. By sliding."

"Sorry?" Draco didn't know if he heard her right.

Instead of answering, Hermione demonstrated what she'd meant by clearing a zig-zagging path down the side of the cliff with her wand.

"Well, if I'd known you were going to do all that, I would have suggested apparition."

Hermione gave him a level look. "Oh, really? I could have suggested the same to you once we were outside the school gates. But I think we both know the journey is sometimes a important part of reaching a destination."

Having no rejoinder to that, Draco watched as she sat down at the top of the smooth, grooved out pathway she'd created. "Trust me. Just observe how I do it," she instructed before she pushed off. "This will be fun."

He couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the witch slide down the hillside, hands raised and squealing with childlike glee as she did so. He snickered when she landed with an 'oompfh' at the bottom, a dusty, dirty mess. But a happy one.

"Your turn!" she yelled up at him.

Draco had never had the experience of playing in a muggle playground, he'd never known the thrill of slides and seesaws and swings. But he felt something of the same simple pleasure when he found himself sliding down the rock face toward the smiling witch. Landing in much the same way she had, he rose to dust himself off. Then he heard her laugh.

"Your hair," she pointed, giggling uncontrollably.

He tried to pat it down, but all he did was dust his face with dirt. Giving up, he good-naturedly said, "Shut it," before reaching for her hand.

"Wait a sec," she said. Turning around, she returned the mountainside back to its original unscathed form. "There. All set back to rights again. Don't you just love magic?" she asked while giving him a cheeky wink.

Draco shook his head, but grinned. Granger was cute, especially when she was pleased with herself.

Together, they walked to the edge of the pool that made up the base of the falls. Wildflowers grew in profusion around its banks. A constant mist rose from the waters; here and there, he saw rainbows caused by the refracting lights from the remaining rays of the setting sun. Draco took a deep breath. All around him was an Eden splendor, pure and pristine and clean. He looked over at Hermione; she was closely watching him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded, unable to do anything else. "Is this your first time here, too?"

She shook her head. "No…... I've been here once before."

"Oh? When was that?" he asked.

"Sixth year."

He could tell she didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't push for an answer. That didn't mean he wasn't curious, though. Especially as his continued stare produced a rosy blush on her cheeks. There was a story there, he just knew it. Maybe one day she would tell him.

"Well, go ahead," she gestured. "Go into the water."

Draco's brow furrowed. "Just…..walk in? That's it?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. She'd helped him all she could. Some things had to come from within. She couldn't push. Whatever happened now would depend on Draco.

Scratching the back of his head, Draco sighed.

"Well…..okay. Here goes," he muttered.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the pool, gasping at the sharp contrast of temperature between the frigid water and his overheated skin. Breathing in, he let the waters rush around him while noticing Granger watching him from the mossy banks. She gave him a thumbs up.

"Want to join me?"

She paused, but finally shook her head. "Maybe later."

Draco gave her a puzzled look before wading further out; then on a sudden irresistible impulse, he submerged himself into the icy depths of the pool. A few seconds later, he came back up, whipping his hair back and sighing blissfully at the exhilaration caused from…..well, he didn't exactly know what from. He just felt better. It was a novel sensation, and if Hermione had been a Legilimens, she could have told him he was experiencing the feeling of hope. He splashed as noisily as a playful child would as he lugged his way over to where the water was tumbling from the lip of the cliffs high above. He turned back and gave Hermione one last searching glance before moving to stand under the falls, receiving the downfall , letting it spray him. Letting it consume all that he was. He lifted his arms to the heavens, surrendering to the power that was stronger than his. Hermione, watching from her perch on the banks, held her breath. She waited; then she saw it; the moment the last rays from the setting sun transformed the falling water, giving Draco the appearance of being aflame with light.

She gazed, spellbound, as the most amazing thing happened. Draco began to laugh. It was a slow chuckle at first, and then it grew until it became a sound of intense relief coming from the depths of his being. He laughed at the sudden unexpected feeling of joy. He laughed at the sensation of being clean; not the normal cleansing of dirt being washed away, but the impression of darkness lifting from him. For the first time in his life, Draco felt free. He was surprised at how light he felt, now realizing it was probably the first time since his early childhood that he had felt so. Tears began to cloud his eyes; the continual revulsion of himself, the shame he'd carried since Dumbledore's death was gone. Wiping his eyes, he looked back at Hermione. Her own tears were tracking down her face, but she gave him a watery smile of camaraderie. Of support. Of understanding. It suddenly dawned on him. _This is why she followed me. She hoped this would happen._

_But why would she care?_

Still, it comforted Draco that he was not alone in this transformative moment. He had a witness to his purging. He had a confidante. And not just that, but a….. _.friend_. Not uttering a word, he held out his hand. Hermione nodded.

Now was the right time.

Laying down her wand in the grass, she jumped into the water, then came back up to splash over to where he stood. Together they stood hand in hand under the waterfalls, letting it pour over them. Letting it wash them clean from every horrible memory, every regret, every missed opportunity. Letting it make things new.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Hermione looked up to see Draco staring at her as if he'd never seen her before. And perhaps he never had. At least, not in the way he was viewing her now. Before the war, he'd never given a thought to Granger being anything more than a rival, an object of scorn…..a mudblood. Now he knew better.

She was wonderful. Loving, forgiving, infinitely wiser. And a better person by far than he.

The revelation made him want to make it up to her. Made him ache to know her. Treasure her worth.

Maybe even one day fall in love with her.

He reached out to gently cup her face with his hand. Hermione sucked in a breath but didn't stop him when he wrapped his other arm around her waist to pull her close.

"I'm glad it was you who followed me," he confessed.

"Me, too," she admitted, her heart in her eyes. For the life of her, Hermione didn't know why she was feeling such butterflies in her stomach. Other girls had swooned over the Slytherin prince's good looks but she'd never been tempted. Before, Draco's ugly personality had overshadowed everything else. But now…

Now….he was radiant.

She continued to stare, mesmerized by the varying glitter of hues tinting his irises. Grey, light blue….even a pale light gold. They all swirled together in a kaleidoscope of color. Without thinking, she copied his earlier movement and cradled his jaw with her hand. She saw it when his eyes moved down to her mouth.

"I want to kiss you."

Had Draco really said that? Or had it merely been a whispered wish of her heart?

Hermione got her answer when she felt his lips on hers. She instinctively closed her eyes, overwhelmed with feelings of desire and raw need. Never in a million years would she have anticipated this happening. Yet here she was, standing under the waters of Sliabh Dé, snogging her former enemy. It wasn't a demanding kiss, nor was it eager and assured as Ron's had been. This kiss was uncertain; apologetic, almost as if it didn't have the right to claim such intimacy. That only made her want to kiss him more; harder, longer….deeper. She didn't know how long they stood like that, kissing under a waterfall, until she felt a crawling sensation on her skin, not unpleasant but rather itchy. She looked down to scratch it and gasped.

"What is it?" Draco couldn't comprehend anything other than the fact that kissing Hermione was like being drunk, but in the best possible way. He felt giddy; absolutely smashed, but…..carefree. He didn't recall ever feeling this way before. But it was exquisite. He had the most insane impulse to either break out into song, whistle a tune or jump with joy. Maybe all three at the same time.

He finally took note that Hermione hadn't answered his question. He looked down at the arm she was holding and let out an expletive.

"Merlin's pants! Your arm…."

The cruel puckering of her flesh caused by the hideous mudblood scar his aunt had inflicted on her was no more. Hermione's skin was as smooth as a baby's. Draco tenderly took her arm into his hands.

His voice filled with reverence, he whispered, "It's…..it's gone?"

She nodded, overcome. Then she looked up into his face. "Let's check your arm."

Draco began to back away from her, shaking his head. "Oh, no….please. Don't. It's not the same….I'm not like you….I don't deserve…"

But Hermione wasn't listening to his protests. Determined to see for herself, she took his arm and began to roll up his sleeves, not an easy task due to the clingy wetness of the material that was slowing her attempt. Draco neither helped nor hindered, only watched in resigned surrender. He hated the mark on his arm; hated that Hermione would once again see it and be reminded of what he used to be.

His mouth opened in shock when her efforts revealed pale and unblemished skin.

He could hardly contain his sob as he grabbed her, pulling her flush to him. Together, they cried. Overjoyed. Overwhelmed. Humbled by the grace given them. To one, a righting of a wrong. To the other, a second chance.

Draco kissed Hermione again and when they came up for air, he whispered against her forehead, "How can I go forward alone? I know this would have never happened without you."

Cuddling into his embrace, she sighed, supremely contented. Funny that it was in his arms that she felt truly at rest; for the first time since the war, actually. And even though her parents were still in Australia, being in Draco's arms made her feel...at _home_.

Curious. This was not something she'd ever considered, but now that she had it, she realized it was what she'd been missing. What she'd needed. She felt an essential balance had been restored that day. On the coattails of that thought, another one followed. This one a startling epiphany. She sensed on a deep intuitive level that Draco had never been meant to be her adversary…...but this.

 _A….boyfriend_? her mind stuttered, still having a hard time comprehending the thought.

 _No_ , said her soul. _Try a little harder._

Her Beloved.

In spite of the shock the revelation caused, she couldn't help but grin against his chest. Who could have guessed her perfect match would end up being a former enemy?

Not her younger self, that's for sure. Still, it was poetic justice to the demons of hate. A knock-out punch to intolerance.

Rising up on her tiptoes, she gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You won't have to go alone. Not now. Neither will I."

And as usual, she was right.

* * *

A/N: I started writing this story back in February. It speaks to me in a different way now. There's so much one could say regarding the times we're living in, but let me just say one: I love you all so very much. You are all precious and irreplaceable to me.


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